What to expect

Admire the Fountain of the Sacrament and the monument to the Virgin of Guadalupe

Stay inside how long you want after the guided tour

The Vatican green lung

Gardens

About two-thirds of the surface of the Vatican City are occupied by these huge Gardens composed of various areas (English Garden, Italian Garden, Garden of the Pope...).

History

In 1279 Pope Nicholas III moved the papal residence from the Lateran to the Vatican and this date marks the birth year of the Gardens; he planted an orchard, a lawn and a garden, and used these spaces as a place of meditation and relaxation.

Between 16th and 17th centuries, worked there artists like Donato Bramante, Pirro Ligorio, Antonio Tempesta and Giovanni Battista Falda.

Architectural elements

To protect the Vatican,were built the Leonine Walls whose ruins are still visible today in two sections: in the first you can see the Palazzina della Zecca, the Fountain of the Sacrament (or of the Towers) and the Gardener's Casina; in the second (restored by Nicholas V) there are two round towers: the Radio Tower (seat of Radio Vatican) and the Gregorian Tower (next to which was built a summer residence for Pope Leone XIII).

Of particular interest are the numerous fountains, including that of Galera, a spectacular ship that shoots jets of water from its cannons, the Fountain of the Eagle and the Fontanone del Gianicolo.

You will also find a series of tributes to the Virgin Mary as the temple of Our Lady of the Guard (1937), the monument to the Virgin of Guadalupe (1939) and the reproduction of the Grotto of Lourdes (1902).

A triumph of fragrances, colors and shapes is given by the many plants and flowers of the Gardens, starting from the exotic species imported from far continents like America and Asia, to some examples of Mediterranean flora. Particular is the grassy area where it is designed the papal coat of arms with the Keys of St. Peter and the Triregno with the heraldic symbol of the reigning pontiff.

What is included

Entrance with priority access

Local guide officially authorized

After the guided tour, stay inside as long as you want

Reservation fees

Access to temporary exhibitions

Whisper System

Available options

The following options can be purchased in addition to the tickets in the booking Wizard on this website.

Price reductions

Reduced/Half Ticket:

Citizens under 18 years old (valid identity document needed at the entrance)

Free Ticket (it is still required to pay the presale to skip the line):

Children under 6 years old (valid identity document needed at the entrance)

To remember

It is necessary to book at least 5 workdays before the visit.

The ticket is valid 1 day, starting from entrance time. After the guided tour you can stay inside as long as you want until closing time of the Gardens.

The tickets will be sent via email within 24-48 hours after purchase (on weekdays) with instructions on how to get there and what to do to enter.

We inform you that, once booked, the date and time selected are binding. It is advisable to arrive 20 minutes early with a valid document to pass the security controls; we suggest to have little bags with you.

In front of museum you will be allowed to skip the line choosing the lateral entrance designed for groups. Also the ticket-office where you have to change your voucher with real tickets is the group's one. After clearing security, the meeting point will be at the "Guided Tours" booth, which is located straight ahead up the small staircase on the left.

You are invited to dress appropriately.

Italy Tickets is not responsible for eventual lack of service caused by the ticket offices or activities of the Holy Father.

Barbara

Ramona

"Good tour, lots of great history information and our guide was very helpful with other locations we should visit. Also, ticket price includes the Vatican Museum and Sistine (not to miss!) Chapel access.
Downside--too many people milling about, narrow passageways and hot and no air flow. "